Smith College Top Questions

Describe the students at Smith College.

Rachel

Smith students are driven, academically-focused, liberal, and involved in the world around them. On weekends, students generally have movie parties with their friends, explore Northampton, do homework, hang out with friends, and go to the local colleges. It is not a commuter college where people go home on weekends. While some students can be described as intense, generally students worry about doing well and completing their homework without going overboard and are not competitive (only with themselves).

Kai

The majority of my classmates come from all walks of life in terms of race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and political views.

Parker

I didn't think Smith was as racially diverse as it could be, although I went to a very diverse high school so I had high expectations. There is better socio-economic diversity, but a lot of students are reluctant to talk about it. Religious diversity is pretty good, although I would say the majority of students are not from a fundamental or evangelical religion; maybe about 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body would consider themselves VERY religious. Students are very politically aware and active and sometimes skip classes for protests, etc. Most Smithies are from the Northeast, but there's a pretty big international crowd and enough from the rest of the country to have a presence on campus. It's a very progressive/left campus, and although the Smith Republicans are very vocal, they are also very few in number. Students usually eat with their housemates, so there really isn't a lot of dining hall table separation. Most students wear jeans to class, occasionally pajamas if it's an early class, and sometimes a skirt or a nicer outfit if you feel like it. Lots of eclectic clothing. Because of the housing system, you definitely meet people from different departments, with different interests and with different backgrounds.

Anna

The Portrait of a "Smithie" is diversifying as we speak. Though one will encounter any type from the socioeconomic scale, the middle ground of Smithie is usually a concerned, liberal-minded, clever young woman.

amsilina

There are lots of international students, as well as lots of northeasterners, but I know people from all over the country. Mostly people lean to the left, are gay-friendly and fairly open-minded. There are the well-dressed, the pj wearers, the hipsters, the cape-wearers, the jocks, but that is just putting labels where pretty much everyone meshes together.

rachel

This place feels very accepting and safe for anyone who is questioning or exploring their identity in any way possible. The student body is fairly diverse and definitely liberal.

Alex

It is not as diverse as I would like it to be but most people are warm and welcoming. Everyone is really laid back. We go to class in our PJs!

Lauren

Everyone is accepted at Smith. There are not a lot of cliches and groups.

Emmerson

The student body is diverse in terms of race, class and socioeconomics. Students are predominantly left, politically speaking. Students do tend to interact with people different from them, personally I find it impossible not to. There are so many interesting people from a variety of backgrounds so there is someone new and interesting to talk to everyday.

Erin

Smith has a very politically active liberal student body. There is also a large lesbian population. Sexual orientation is strongly emphasized. Evangelicals at Smith are few and far between. There aren't really any cliques or economic divides. Smith has a very diverse group of students as far as race and ethniticity.